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Thursday, May 30, 2013

Witch Fall Cover Reveal

I'm so excited to reveal my latest cover to all of you! I really struggled with the scene to use for the cover, and I'm so glad I went with this one-and thanks to all of your input on the many decisions to be made for this book. I adore the turquoise, reds, and golds. Look at the play of light on the surface of the water. The stone dragons are perfect, as is the palace they guard. Laura Save really outdid herself--and she's such a sweet person! I love working with her.

Witch Fall is the last book in the Witch Song series (though there is a short story in the works). Though it is a prequel, I recommend you read it last. It's due out this October. I'm in the midst of a massive rewrite, and I'm working hard to meet that deadline, if only my children would cooperate. *sigh*

Here's the back cover:

All things fall.

Even Witches.

Supreme in their dominion over seasons, storms and sea, the Witches have forgotten the unmatched destructiveness of mankind—and among the weapons men seek are the magical songs of the Witches.

Lilette is one of the few who sees the signs of decadence and decay within the Witches. An outsider amidst her own kind, can she delay her people's annihilation long enough for them to survive the war that is coming?

For the first twelve years of my life, I lived in a two bedroom ranch house at the base of a mountain. Besides my parents, my family consisted of three brothers--the oldest of which enjoyed beating me up. Ironically, the younger two were terrible wimps. I rode horses, moved sprinkler pipe, and mucked out barns (when they could catch me). We didn't have a lot of money, and the part of the ranch we lived on was eventually repossessed by the bank. Subsequently, we had to move to town (I know. I should have written Westerns).

I graduated from Utah State University with a bachelors degree (English and physical education), a husband, and a two-year old. I was a member of the collegiate honor society and graduated cum laude (which basically means I'm an overachiever).

My second son had severe colic, often crying for 16 hours a day. By the time he was four months old, I was in a very dark place. I discovered that I could prop him up between my arms and type for brief periods of time. Creating stories quickly became a cathartic addiction I couldn't function without.

It took seven manuscripts and five very long years before my debut novel, Witch Song, came out.

When a band of runaway slaves brings Union-loyal Beth Bumgartner a wounded Confederate soldier named Joe, it is the catalyst that pushes her to defy her pacifist parents and become a nurse during the Battle of Antietam.

Her mother's mysterious goodbye gift is filled with quilt blocks that bring comfort to Beth during the hard days and lonely nights, but as she sews each block, she realizes there is a hidden message of faith within the pattern that encourages and sustains her. Reunited with Joe, Beth learns his secret and puts the quilt's message to its greatest test---but can betrayal be forgiven?

Dionne Moore is a historical romance author who resides in South Central PA with her family, surrounded by the beautiful Cumberland Valley and lots of fun, historically rich locations. She is a weekly contributor to "The Borrowed Book", a blog for book-lovers and "Cozy Mystery Magazine", for all things cozy mystery.

My Thoughts
Beth Bumgartner desires to be a nurse, so she moves in with her grandmother and assists in caring for wounded soldiers in the height of battle almost at their front door. Nursing means caring for not only the Union soldiers but also the Confederates. This is difficult for Beth and can't help but feel bitterness toward her enemy of the south. But there is their first patient an injured soldier which happens to be a Confederate yet she feels some tenderness towards this man even though she despises what he stands for. Joe has been unconscious since he was brought to them. It was said he was injured while protecting a group of blacks. Why would a confederate do such a thing? Beth and her grandmother work themselves beyond physical and emotional needs to care for these injured and dying soldiers.

The author writes about this woman sitting and working on a quilt her mother has sent her, even though she hated to sew anything. The quilt becomes a source of healing for her soul and she is drawn to the quilt for Hope and comfort. This author must have a beautiful tender heart to write such an endearing story set in the middle of trials and tribulations of the Civil War. She paints a very realistic picture of the aftermath of the battles and the bloody fields. She writes that with God there is always Hope.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group/Abingdon Press for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. This review is my honest opinion.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

In
NINE DAYS, Clash of the Titles opens its doors for submissions to
the Laurel.

The
Laurel is a contest available to any genre of Christian fiction
published in 2012. The novels are judged by their
audience—readers well-versed in
Christian fiction yet not associated with the CBA industry.

Authors write for readers, so why not have readers be
the judges?

With a submission fee of only $10, easy electronic submission, a
bevy of prizes, and judges devoted to Christian fiction and author
encouragement, the Laurel is a contest like no other.

But
act quick! Slots are limited. To avoid overburdening our volunteer
judges, we are limited in the number of submissions we can
accept.

* All previous COTT champs whose winning
novel was published in 2012 have an assured spot (fee waived) in the 2013
Laurel.Submissions:

Monday, May 27, 2013

With her heart - and her loyalty - on the line, can she let true love in her life?

Every year, young Amish men descend on the cozy little town of West Kootenai, Montana, arriving in the spring to live there for six months and receive 'resident' status for the hunting season in the fall. They arrive as bachelors, but go home with brides! Lydia Wyse, a book editor from Seattle who grew up Amish, returns to the small community of West Kootenai, Montana to give comfort to her father after her mother's death.

She is drawn back to the familiar Amish ways after finding her mother's most precious possession, a Promise Box of prayers and scripture. What her publisher sees, though, is an opportunity for a sensational 'tell-all' book about the Amish. Lydia soon finds herself falling in love with Amish bachelor Gideon Hooley. She wants nothing more than to forget her past and look forward to a future as an Amish bride.

Will the pain of her childhood-and her potential betrayal of her community-keep her from committing her whole heart?

Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of six, grandmother of one, and wife to John. Somewhere around the hustle and bustle of family life, she manages to find the time to write fictional tales delighting and entertaining readers and non-fiction titles offering encouragement and hope. A bestselling author, Tricia has published thirty-three books to date and has written more than 500 articles. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee. In 2010, she was selected as one of the Top 20 Moms to Follow on Twitter by SheKnows.com. Tricia is also on the blogging team at MomLifeToday.com, TheBetterMom.com and other homeschooling and Christian sites. In addition to her roles as mom, wife and author, Tricia volunteers around her community and mentors teen moms. She is the founder of Hope Pregnancy Ministries in Northwestern Montana, and she currently leads a Teen MOPS Group in Little Rock, AR. Tricia, along with a group of friends, recently launchedNotQuiteAmishLiving.com, sharing ideas about simplifying life. She also hosts the weekly radio podcast, Living Inspired.

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 11th. Winner will be announced at the "The Promise Box" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 12th. Connect with Tricia for an evening of Amish fun - book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Tricia will also share an exclusive look at the next book book in the Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Promise Box and join Tricia on the evening of June 12th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 12th!

My ThoughtsLydia Wyse has returned home to West Kootenai, Montana to attend her mother's funeral. She plans to stay for a few weeks with her dad. Her dad gives her a Promise Box that her mother had left for her, it was full of prayer and promises from the bible that were dear to her mother's heart for her daughter. Lydia starts feeling changes in her pulling her back to the Amish ways. She thought she was happy living among the Englisch yet her heart is telling her different.

Then there is the handsome Amish man,Gideon Hooley whom she met the first day she returned and knew there was something special about him that made her want to know him better. Could she take up the Amish way again? She is definitely feeling God drawing nearer to her leading her back home.

I love this series and am so excited there will be seven books in this series. The author gives glimpses of several of the characters I fail in love with from book one and how they melted into book two as they befriended Lydia and Gideon and took a role in guiding them to a fulfilling life with God and their community of Amish and English living and growing together. The author writes of many secrets that were holding these two character back from growing with God and showed them the truth and how the truth would set them free.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received a free book from Litfuse Publicity Group/Zonderan for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. This review is my honest opinion.

Friday, May 24, 2013

About Ray of Sunlight:Bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray brings inspirational romance to life in this sweet tale of love in the Amish community, Ray of Light, the second installment of her Days of Redemption series.Roman Keim just wants a break from the family drama at his snowy Ohio home when he heads to an Amish snowbird community in Florida. There he meets Amanda Yoder and her daughter Regina who soon are warming his heart. But will Roman return to Ohio or will he stay and help the young widow embrace a second chance at love?The author of the series Sisters of the Heart and Seasons of Sugarcreek, Shelley Shepard Gray delivers an honest, tender love story in Ray of Light, featuring the challenges of faith, family, and romance.

Shelley Shepard Gray is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the "Sisters of the Heart", "Seasons of Sugarcreek", "Secrets of Crittenden County", and Families of Honor series. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.

This story picks up where book one left off. All the family drama in the Keim familly has having proven to be more than Roman Keim wanted to deal with. He decided to take a well deserved vacation going from ice and snow of Ohio to the sunny beaches in Florida. His cousins have a condo right on the beach and they have invited him to come spend a week. It has been a healing experience for him. He is not a very outgoing person but since a lovely young woman, in the condo next door, caught his eye his world has become a whirlwind of emotions. Which is very good. The woman as well as her darling little four year old girl that have taken up a special spot in his heart.

Amanda Yoder is a widow of two years and she too is taking a well deserved vacation. The minute Roman Keim walk up to her on the beach he was like a ray of light. She could feel herself healing because of this handsome caring man. He was not only a healing balm for her but more so for her daughter, Regina. Regina did not trust anyone but to her surprise opened up like a flower to the sun. Amanda does not want to let go of her deceased husbands memory yet she is drawn to the possibility of a new love in her future.

The author writes of healing for so many of the characters in this book. Giving up the past to God and and going forward for the plans he has for them. Some of the characters cling to the pain of the past not so willing to give up what is eating them alive making them bitter and depressed. Why is it so hard to let go of the past? My heart ached for all the characters and was glad to see the healing process in all of them take place. My favorite characters in this book were Regina and Elsie they had more strength than all of them in the end.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group/Harper Collins for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. This review is my honest opinion.

Friday, May 17, 2013

Brooke has only loved one man, her late husband. Owen’s rebuilding after a painful divorce. Can a mysterious house bring them together for a second chance at love?

In the charming town of Smithville, Texas, Brooke Holloway is raising two young children on her own, supporting them by running the family hardware store. The last thing on her mind is falling in love. But she’s intrigued when a stranger moves to town and buys the old Hadley mansion. She’s always heard that house holds a secret—maybe even a treasure—and she can’t wait to see inside. When she meets the new owner and they spend time together, she can’t deny the attraction. Could God be giving her another chance at happiness? Or is she betraying her late husband’s memory by even thinking that way?

Owen Saunders bought the Hadley place to spite his cheating ex-wife. She’d always wanted to restore an old house in Smithville. Now he’s going to do it without her. But if anything needs restoration, it is Owen’s heart. Then he meets Brooke and her kids and finds himself tempted by love. Can he bring himself to trust a woman again?

Throw an eccentric uncle into the mix, along with the town’s teenage troublemaker, and even a finicky cat—and one thing becomes clear: God is bringing them all together for a reason.

Beth is a Carol Award Winner, Inspirational Readers Choice Winner, INSPY Winner, and the best-selling author of the Daughters of the Promise series and the Land of Canaan series. All of her books have held spots on the ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association) bestseller list and the CBA (Christian Book Association) bestseller list. She grew up in Houston, Texas and now resides in a small town west of Houston with a population of around 300. She lives with her husband, two dogs, two cats, two pot bellied pigs, two chickens and a pygmy goat. Her two grown sons also live in Texas. Beth has been writing in some capacity for most of her life. She's a former award-winning journalist with eleven honors, including 'First Place News Writing' for The Texas Press Association. However, writing love stories with a spiritual message is where her heart is. When Beth isn't writing (which is seldom these days) she enjoys traveling, cooking, fishing, reading, or just settling in for a good movie. Her best times are spent with family and friends!

Brooke Holloway would like give in to the desire to stay in bed and grieve the loss of husband but she has two active children and a business to run. Her mother helped for a while but she had become to dependent on her now it was time to face life head on. Her daily routine keeps her focused on her job but memories of her deceased husband still occupy most of her thoughts. Just like now when her thoughts were interrupted by Owen Saunders the new man in town. He recently bought one of the biggest old mansions in town that was in need of much repair and since she owned a hardware store he would become a frequent customer. Her coworker keeps pushing her to find a new man even though she keeps telling her and everyone else that she is in no hurry to start a relationship. But brother if she were looking, which she isn't, this handsome guy would fit the bill.Owen Saunders admits to himself he may have, as the saying goes, "cut off his nose to spite his face", by purchasing a huge old house that is turning into a money pit. This is the house his cheating ex wife had dreamed of owning, so he bought the house just to rub into her face. He was determine to finish the house as close to the original as possible. He must admit he will probably never get it to original since he knows nothing about renovating anything. So here he is renovating this old house when his is heart probably in worse condition than this old house. He has had to make many trips to the hardware store owned by a very attractive lady. The more they see each other it is apparent they are building a friendship but they both made it clear they were looking for nothing more. God tends to have a say in what is planned for our life's plan. Maybe He wants them to start anew letting go of the bitterness and pain from their past and to trust in love.The author adds many other interesting characters to the mix like two precious children, two grandmothers, a missing grandfather, a rebellious teen, a couple of crack head parents, a stray cat and well intended friends.I found this an endearing story of love lost, bitterness, revenge, trust issues, tribulations and reconciliation. In the author's writing I could see God's plan in restoring the lives of His children. The author also writes about how the characters let anger, abandonment and fear eat away at their lives until they slowly and sometime quickly turning from God yet proves He never turned from them. In one part of the book Owen advises Brooke on the importance of forgiveness and she points out," Isn't that kind of like the pot calling the kettle black". It is like seeing the err of our ways through another person's eyes or better yet by reading a great book like this one.I highly recommend this book. It would be a great book for a book club and/or reading group. There are some very enlightening discussion questions at the back of the book.I rated this book 5 out of 5.Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson/Litfuse Publicity Group for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. This review is my honest opinion.If you found this review helpful vote yes or no here.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

17-year-old Verity Boone expects a warm homecoming when she returns to Catawissa, Pennsylvania in 1867, pledged to marry a young man she's never met. Instead, she finds a father she barely knows and a future husband with whom she apparently has nothing in common. And a truly horrifying surprise awaits her: the graves of her mother and aunt are enclosed in iron cages outside the local cemetery. Nobody in town will explain why, but Verity hears rumors of buried treasure and witchcraft. Perhaps the cages were built to keep grave robbers out . . . or to keep the women in. Determined to understand, Verity finds herself in a life-and-death struggle with people she thought she could trust.

Inspired by a pair of real caged graves in present-day Catawissa, this historical YA novel weaves mystery, romance, and action into a suspenseful drama with human greed and passion at its core.

I first saw the photograph in a random
article on the internet: a lonely cemetery with worn and tilted
tombstones – and one grave with an iron cage around it.

I couldn’t get the photo out of my
mind, so my husband used the clues in the article and Google Earth to
identify the graveyard as the Old Mt. Zion Cemetery outside
Catawissa, Pennsylvania. It wasn’t that far from home, so we
decided to take a drive to see it in person. I wasn’t even sure the
grave would really be there, but we received a shock when we pulled
the car up beside the abandoned graveyard and saw two caged
graves! Two?!

The graves belonged to Asenath Thomas
and Sarah Ann Boone. They were clearly related in some way, since
Sarah was a Thomas by birth and Asenath was a Thomas by marriage.
Both women died in 1852, within a few days of one another.

Why would anyone erect iron cages
around their graves? The original article I read claimed Sarah Ann’s
family believed she’d been bitten by a vampire – or maybe a
werewolf. But legends of vampires and werewolves weren’t popular in
the U.S. in the 1850’s, and besides, the writer of the article
hadn’t even been to the cemetery or he would’ve mentioned the
other grave.

I found a more respectable article
written by the local historian who suggested the cages were erected
to keep out grave robbers. In the mid-19th century, fresh
corpses were in demand by medical schools. This was a logical
(although still creepy) explanation for the cages -- but why build
something permanent when the danger of grave robbing would pass
within a few weeks? And why were only these two graves protected?
What made these women potential targets – who they were, or what
they died from?

By now, I knew I had a novel-worthy
premise. I started digging around in the history of that region and
discovered a little known battle of the Revolutionary War had taken
place nearby – about 75 years prior. When the Americans lost,
captured Continental soldiers were brutally massacred by British and
Indian forces. Then the countryside was razed by the victors, driving
settlers to flee into a vast marsh. Most of them died of exposure in
what would eventually become known as the Shades of Death swamp, but
a few stragglers made it out and took refuge in Catawissa -- the town
with the mysterious cemetery.

Tying these elements together became
the heart of my story and a three-pronged mystery. How did Sarah Ann
and Asenath die? Why were their graves caged? And how are they
connected to events in the Shades of Death 75 years earlier?

My novel The Caged Graves is
fictional, of course. The real story behind these graves remains a
mystery.

About Author

Author Dianne K. Salerni of WE HEAR THE DEAD (Sourcebooks 2010), THE CAGED GRAVES (Clarion 2013), and THE EIGHTH DAY (a forthcoming series from HarperCollins). She is represented by Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger, Inc.

Verity Boone at age two years, was taken from her father, shortly after her mothers unforeseen death, in order to have the chance to have a normal life while being raised with her cousins in her Aunt's home. Now Verity is 17 years old and has promised to marry a respectable young man from her home town of Catawissa, Pennsylvania. When she arrives at her father's home nothing is familiar to her. She did not receive a very warm welcome from anyone including her father. Something was not right, maybe she was being ill treated because people were jealous that she was to marry the most sought after bachelor in Catawissa. But then as time goes by it is apparent it was more of the fact she was her mother's daughter. Stories of witchcraft was whisper behind her back. There are many secrets leading up to her mother's death and even at this time in her life when she should be enjoying the preparations for her wedding she is forced to face a life and death situation with no one to turn to for help.

If this had been a movie, which I think it should be, you would be sitting on the edge of your seat and would not dare to go to the restroom or to get popcorn. Yep, it is that good. I did not want to put the book down I took it everywhere with me. Yes even to the restroom.

The author has done a bang up job on this book. You will find high anxiety, greed, action, mystery, romance and redemption all through this book. What a creative imagination this author has put to work in her writing. I hope to be reading more of her books soon.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Netgalley for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. This review is my honest opinion.

Katherine Galloway knew this moment of calm wouldn’t last, blown away like the dandelion seeds she scattered as a girl. In 1880, three years after her husband’s death, she struggles to run an Oregon boardinghouse and raise two girls alone. Things don't get easier when her critical, domineering mother moves in. Katherine must make the situation work, but standing up for herself and her family while honoring her mother isn't easy. And with a daughter entering the teenage years, the pressure on Katherine becomes close to overwhelming. Then she crosses paths with Micah Jacobs, a widower who could reignite her heart, but she fears a relationship with him might send things over the edge. She must find the strength, wisdom, hope, and faith to remake her life, for everything is about to change.

Miralee and her husband Allen have been married almost 40 yrs. They live on 11 acres in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge in southern Washington State, where they love to garden, play with their dogs, take walks, and go sailing. Miralee also rides her horse on the wooded trails near their home with her grown daughter who lives nearby. She’s an avid reader and has a large collection of first edition Zane Grey books, which inspired her desire to write fiction set in the Old West. When she started writing fiction Miralee believed that she’d always stay with women’s contemporary, but has since branched out to historical romance. Her first two books were women’s contemporary with Kregel Publications, The Other Daughter, and Finding Jeena.

Miralee serves as president of the Portland, Oregon, chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and belongs to a number of writer’s groups. She speaks at women’s groups, libraries, and churches about her writing journey, and has taught a both writers and library conferences.

Her fourth historical romance with Summerside Press in their Love Finds You series, set in Sundance, Wyoming released summer of 2011. Miralee is currently under contract with David C. Cook for a three-book series of historical romance novels, set in Oregon. Some of her books have a suspense thread as well as romance, and three have a higher degree of action with a decided Old West slant. Her upcoming series will be somewhat of a women’s fiction/historical romance combination, with the emphasis on well-developed characters and plot.

Katherine Galloway wishes she could be excited that her mother is coming for a visit. But instead she is anticipating a very stressful situation. Her mother is outspoken and overbearing not having anything nice to say to or about Katherine. Katherine is treated like an imbecile by her mother. When in fact she done very well for herself and her two daughters. She owns a boarding house in Oregon which she has been in full charge of since she became a widow.

Since Micah Jacobs recently moved to Oregon he keeps running into Katherine Galloway. He has to admit she is an attractive woman but he is not shopping for a new wife. He still grieves his deceased wife. Anyway Katherine seems to have more on her plate than she can handle. His teenage son has made fast friends with Mrs. Jacobs daughter at which Mrs. Jacobs seems to object.

Between Katherine dealing with running the boarding house, the arrival of her mother, her daughter's new friendship and then her youngest daughter to keep up with she is just about on her last nerve.

Wouldn't it be nice to have someone to lean on in times of trials and tribulations? A spouse is would be a marvelous option. God tends to give to us abundantly when we are not even looking. For He already has a plan for our lives.

This was a most interesting read. I have heard of mother-in-laws on the war path but in this story the author has created a character you will not likely forget, a mother from Hades. I loved the support system the author created for Katherine which was her church quilting group. We depend on our Lord to comfort us yet He also gives us the church community as a support system. The author and the Lord had to be very creative in the unlikely romance between Katherine and Micah since there are so many obstacles in their way.I highly recommend this book.I rated this book a 5+ out of 5.Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the author for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. This review is my honest opinion.If you found this review helpful vote yes or no here.

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